Heater for automobiles



Feb. 9 1926.

PJFL hdnQAPhAN HEATER FOVR AUTOMOBILES Filed Dec. 8, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Feb. 9 1926.

P. R. MINAHAN HEATER FOR AUTOMOBILES F'i led Dec. 8, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR AWORNEY was Feb.9,1926.

cating oil of the engine in on the line2-2 of Green B'ayyin the county that shown in Figure 1.

UNITED STATES ra'r'nrcx n. MINAHAN, or; ennui: BAY, WISCONSIN.

Hanan ro'n auromomtns.

Application filed December 5,1924. Serial nurseries.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known thatI, PATRICK R. MI-NAHAN;

United Stites, residing at of Brown and State of \Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Heaters for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automobiles and has particular relation to means for heating and softening the lubricool weather, whereby starting of theengine will be facilitated and the efliciency of the engine in operation increased. 1 p

Another object of the invention is the provision of heating means which is applicable to an automobile for the purpose of heating the oil prior to startin the engine and which may also be utilize for drying various parts of the ignition system and for heating the interior of the automobile.

To this end, the invention aims to 'provide' an internal combustion engine which is auxiliary to and independent of the main engine of the automobile and which may be operated prior to the operation of such main engine to initially heat the lubricant and fuel of the main engine so that when the latter is started proper lubrication wil be assured.

With the above and other objects in view,

a citizen of the the invention further includes the following. novel features and details of construction,"

In the-drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation partly in section showing a portiorr of an automobile with the invention applied.

Figure 2 is a section taken substantially Figure 3; gure 3 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1. i Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation looking at the side of the engine opposite plan view Figure 5 is a fra entary the auxilshowing the manner 0 mounting iary engine and its starter. v

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the automobile heater.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

.'tion showing the exhaust from the main engine.

1 trolled from the Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sect1on on the line 8-8 of Figure 4.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary secvalve for controlling the.

in detail Referring to the drawings wherein like characters of reference denote.

corresponding parts, the reference character 10 indicatesthe engine of an automobile. to

which the invention is shown as applied and which will be main engine.

vto

hereinafter referred to as the The exhaust pipe of this englue is indicated at 11 and extends from "the exhaust manifold 12, while the intake manifold is indicated at 13 and is connected to the carbureter' 14. The crank en ne 10 is indicated at 15. v I

ll of the foregoing is of the usual or any case of the preferred construction, the invention being applicable to automobiles of any The inventionresides ,in the ro ir ision of anauxiliary engine which is indicated at 16, and which may be suitably mounted upon the housing of the main other convenient place. The engine 16 is considerably smaller than the engine 10 and is preferabl provided with an independent starter 17 w ich is suitably supported as indicated at 18 and this starter may be condrivers seat as may also the speed and priming of the engine 16.

The exhaust from the engine 16 is conveyed through a pipe 19 to the crank case 15 of the engine 10 and through this crank case outward through a pipe 20; The fuel for the engine 10 is carried by a pipe 21, which passes through the pipe 20 and the and shaped to provide a heating chamber 22 which entirely surrounds the pipe 21.

The pipe 20 is then extended rearward and communicates with the exhaust pipe 11 of the main engineas indicated at23 in Figure 1 of the drawings. A branch pipe 24 connects the two legs of the pipe 20 and extends around the carburetor 14, so that the exhaust gases from the engine 16 will warm the ,fuel within the earbureter and will further warm and soften the fuel mixture as it passes through the pipe 21 to the intake manifold 13.

For the purpose of providing connection between the intakemanifold and the car bureter, the chamber 22 is provided with a central passage 25 from which extends opengine 10, or any with radiators 38 which positely disposed thimbles 26, one of which enters the upper end of the 'carbureter 14 and the other the lower end of the intake manifold, so that the passa e 25 forms a continuation of the manifol The carbureter 14 andmanifold are provided with flan es 27 which are secured to theupper and ower walls of the chamber 22 by means of bolts 28 as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The pipe 20 is provided with an extension 29 which is controlled by a butterfly valve whose stem carries an arm 30, while con nected to this arm is a rod 31 which leads to the instrument board of the automobile, whereby the pipe extension 29 may be controlled for the supply of exhaust gases to the distributor 32 of the engine 10.

Extending from the pipe 19 around the crank case 15 is a pipe.33 which leads to and communicates with the exhaust ipe 11 of the en ine 10 as shown at 34 in igures 1 and 9 o the drawings. At this point the exhaust pipe 11 is provided with a valve 35 whose stem has secured thereto an arm 36 which is controlled from the instrument board of the automobile by means of a rod 37. When the valve is in the full line position shown in Figure 9 of the drawings the exhaust gases will be directed into the pi 33 and will ass through this pi e into til pi e 19 and through the cran case 15. \Viien the valve 35 is in the position shown by the dotted lines inFigure 9 the exhaust gases will pass out through the pipe 11 in the usual manner.

If desired the automobile may be equipped communicate with the pipe 11 through pipes 39, the heat to the radiators being controlled by a foot operated pedal 40.

It is to be understood that the engine16 is separate and distinct from the engine 10, is provided with its own individual starter which may be operated from the usual battery or from a separate battery. It is preferred to provide this engine 16 with a special fuel supply ipe WhlCh may contain a hi h test gas or et ier or any other high] combustible fluid and while an automatic starter 17 is provided for starting the engine 16, it is of course obvious that the engine may be manually started.

The invention is susceptible of. various chan es in its form, proportions and minor detai s of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention what is claimed'is In an automobile, the combination with'*a main internal combustion engine, an auxiliary internal combustion engine, a pi e for conducting the exhaust gases from t e.

auxiliary engine through the crank case of the main engine,

a pipe leading from said exhaust pipe to the exhaust pipe of the main englne to carry off said gases, lishlng communication between the exhaust pipe of the auxiliary engine and the exhaustpipe of the main engine in advance of the point of said communication and me'ans whereby exhaust from the main engine may be directed into the exhaust pipe of the auxiliary engine.

a pipe estab- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

PATRICK MIN AHA N. 

